Washington — President Biden awarded the Medal of Honor to 4 U.S. Military troopers who withstood tenacious combating within the Vietnam Warfare, recognizing them for his or her valor throughout a ceremony on the White Home on Tuesday.
The recipients have been Employees Sgt. Edward Kaneshiro, Spc. Dwight Birdwell, Spc. Dennis Fujii and Maj. John J. Duffy. Kaneshiro’s medal was awarded posthumously, along with his son accepting it on his behalf.
“They stood in the way in which of hazard,” the president stated. “Risked the whole lot, actually the whole lot to defend our nation and our values. Nevertheless, not each service member has obtained the complete recognition they deserve. As we speak, we’re setting the report straight. We’re upgrading the awards of 4 troopers who carried out acts of unimaginable heroism through the Vietnam battle.”
The boys had beforehand obtained different medals, however the president upgraded these to the Medal of Honor — the nation’s highest ornament for army service. Mr. Biden recounted the tales of every soldier who valiantly served.
Fujii was in a medevac helicopter that crashed in 1971. Although wounded, he rejected medical support from one other helicopter and labored to deal with allied troopers by means of the subsequent day. He put himself at risk to name in U.S. helicopter gunships to repel assaults over the next 17 hours till he could possibly be safely airlifted.
“Relatively than threat the lives of his crew mates, Specialist Fujii waved off the helicopter, informed them to depart, remaining behind as the one American on the battlefield,” the president stated of one of many makes an attempt to avoid wasting Fujii’s dwell.
Kaneshiro was main an infantry squad in 1966 when his unit was attacked by North Vietnamese fighters. He managed to repel the assault with rifle hearth and grenades, permitting the remainder of his unit to tug again safely. He was shot and killed throughout combating 4 months later.
Birdwell was serving in a tank unit when his airbase got here beneath assault in 1968. He managed to rescue his wounded tank commander and fired the tank’s weapons on the enemy forces. Birdwell was finally wounded in his face and torso however refused remedy till he may evacuate different wounded troopers.
KEVIN LAMARQUE / REUTERS
Duffy was wounded in battle in 1972 however refused to be evacuated, as an alternative shifting nearer to enemy positions to name in air strikes. He was wounded once more however nonetheless refused remedy. As his place got here beneath assault over the subsequent two days, Duffy helped transfer the wounded to an evacuation website and direct hearth on extra enemy positions. He solely boarded the helicopter as soon as all different evacuees have been on board.
“When he was wounded once more, he once more refused evacuation,” the president stated of Duffy. “He labored aspect by aspect to arrange the protection of the bottom with the Vietnamese commander.”
Mr. Biden acknowledged that very same commander within the White Home viewers Tuesday.
The president has awarded the Medal of Honor to eight service members since taking workplace, together with the 4 acknowledged Tuesday. The ceremony got here days after the demise of Hershel “Woody” Williams, who was the final surviving recipient honored for service in World Warfare II. Williams will lie in honor within the U.S. Capitol this week.
